Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-17
Philadelphia News.

Philadelp hia news.
uWhst is that GRO I'd that collects in
front of Green's hotel in this city every
morning about II o'clock"
b. "Why, they are watching the lceman
as he shapes with 8 chisel the two ice
cones that stand at the ends Of the oyster
bar"
Do you know, by the way, that it was
in this city that the notion Of using
carved ice figures as table decorations
first took shape? It occurred in this
waY About twelve years ago there was
a whist cluo formed, composed of Mr..
Drexel and Mr.. Cbilds and
number of other gentle
men. When the whist game was
done a supper was served, and as the
club contained members whose means
were limited, it was agreed to do away
with elaborate ana expensive candy and
fruit pyramids and TO substitute some
thing that should be inexpensive and a.
tistic. The task OF devising means to
this end was given 10 the caterer. he
was at his Wits end until a fellow-caterer
suggested carved ice, trimmed with spray
of smllsX.
saw an ice vase, simple put symmetrical
in design, surrounded with the glossy
smilax leaf and filed with oysters, the
whole costing only 81 30.
From this start the art Of making ice
decorative work took it's rise. The ice
artist uses four tools only, three chiseIs,
VARYING from two and half to one half
inch in width. and gouge. The designs
onI of than var
elaborate. In size the average is about
two and half feet, and almost all of them
have an ice pedestal one foot high. a
very striking fgure is "Atlae," his shout
ders bent under g hollow world, which
serves as e receptacle for any table deli
cscy that requires low temperature.
An elephant by palm tree offers his
hoodah to be filed with dstnties. A re-
marksble nice picture is that of the old
apple woman asleep over her stand, while
a small boy steals the fruit from he bss-
ket at her side. In another an eagle
stands perched on the edge of her nest
while serpent twines it folds around the
base. An accommodating bear carries a
basket on his back and walks with a
staff.
For a wedding breakfast a pair of doves
More convivial occasions are represented
by the portly figure of boniface, apron
on his "fair, round belly" and punch
bowl in his hands.
Bacchus in ice, with his thyrsus twined
about with ivy, IS suggestive enough. For
8 dinner of the Farmers Club" q
ploughman stands by his horse, on one
side huge wheat-sheaf and on the other
aplough.
Most remarkable are the jungle scenes,
designed to hold tropical fruits. Lions
and tigers s:alk about under trees whose
hollow trunks are filed with fruits and
flowers. The doctors, when they dine,
have an old-time practitioner, half sur
geon half apothecary, standing st his
mortar and pestle.
Cupid, with his bow, is q graceful
figure for a dinner party OF young
people, and Neptune is admirable
for farewell supper. The ocean,
god is seated in his Car, on his
head is q crown, his right hand grasps
the trident, while his left holds the Teins
that guide his horses through the glacial
sea. His robe is blown back from his
shoulders and stand out like sails well
filed.
When the design is complete it is put
in 8 tin box, Theoretically sealed, and this
box is placed inside wooden box, lesv-
ing between the two q space of about
couple OF inches. This is packed with
ice and salt and sent to its destination.
The "pieces" will keep long while in
this way and since their introduction they
are almost the most popular kind OF dec
Grafton for retreshment tables.